Green leader Zack Polanski vows to stay on after Labour win in Holborn by‑election

Labour candidate Sagal Abdi‑Wali captured the seat with 45% of the vote, while Green leader Zack Polanski, who faced internal criticism over a Zionism motion, pledged to continue his leadership.

By Felo News Desk · Published Fri, 09 Oct 2026 07:26:23 GMT

Labour’s Sagal Abdi‑Wali was declared winner of the Holborn and St Pancras by‑election on 8 October, defeating Green Party leader Zack Polanski, who said he will remain leader despite the loss.

What happened

Votes were counted in the early hours of 9 October. The Labour candidate secured 12,292 votes (45% of the total), while Polanski received 8,928 votes (33%). The majority was 3,364 votes. Turnout was reported at 38.76%, with 27,309 ballots cast, a drop from the 2024 general election turnout of 54.46%.

What the reports add

Standard.co.uk noted that the Green vote share rose by 22.4% compared with the previous election, despite the defeat. The Independent highlighted that the result follows a week of internal Green Party turmoil after members backed a motion declaring Zionism as racism. Standard.co.uk also reported that the Greens’ performance was seen as a “significant drop” in turnout compared with earlier by‑elections, such as Gorton and Denton in February.

What was said

Polanski told reporters, "Of course I'm going to carry on as leader of the Green Party," as reported by the Independent. He added, "Of course I can carry on as leader of the Green Party. Of course, I wanted to win. No‑one runs an election to lose," quoted by Standard.co.uk.

Labour’s new MP, Sagal Abdi‑Wali, said, "Diversity is our strength," according to the Independent’s live updates.

Green veteran Caroline Lucas, speaking to BBC Newsnight, criticised Polanski’s absence from the party conference vote on the Zionism motion, calling the motion “dangerous” and “divisive,” as noted in the Standard’s post‑mortem piece.

How it came about

The by‑election was triggered by Sir Keir Starmer’s resignation as MP for the seat, announced in September. Felo News previously covered Polanski’s ambition to win the seat in a 25 September article (Green Party’s Zack Polanski vows to upset Holborn & St Pancras) and the broader test the contest posed for Labour (Holborn By‑Election Tests Labour’s Future After Starmer’s Exit). The Green Party conference in Brighton, held a week earlier, passed a motion defining Zionism as racism, sparking criticism of Polanski’s decision to leave the conference early to campaign, a point highlighted in a 8 October Felo piece on the motion (Former Green leader Lucas says Polanski failed to lead on Zionism motion).

Key facts

Labour candidate Sagal Abdi‑Wali won the Holborn and St Pancras by‑election with 12,292 votes (45%). (independent.co.uk)
Green leader Zack Polanski received 8,928 votes (33%) and pledged to remain leader. (standard.co.uk)
Turnout was 38.76% with 27,309 votes cast. (standard.co.uk)
Green Party vote share increased by 22.4% compared with the previous election. (standard.co.uk)